Can we help old people to have an active life?
Old people sometimes need to be helped to live their lives to the full. Loneliness is one of the most common features of an old person’s life, particularly if the person has lost a partner. Most people no longer live in large families within one house, and a single older person can feel very isolated. Although they may not be physically strong, almost all older people can and should take exercise.
Most old people enjoy the company of younger people. Keeping both the mind and body active will help an old person’s general health and wellbeing. Above all, the company of other people is the best tonic they can have.
How long do people live for?
People are living longer and longer, and most of us can expect to live to the age of 75 years or more we can also expect to be reasonably healthy for almost all of this time. Because so many of the diseases that caused people to die young are now being controlled, and people have a far better standard of living, most of us are living much longer than our ancestors.
We are also staying much healthier right up until the end of our lives. This means that a growing number of healthy and active older people are working part-time to occupy themselves and to provide an extra income. This activity helps to keeps their minds and bodies active.
In 1997 a French woman died at the age of 122 years. She was the world’s longest-lived person.
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